Dual-tube electronic cigarette atomizer

ABSTRACT

An atomizer of an electronic cigarette may have a double-layered shell body, a nozzle cap, an electronic wick, and a contact piece, wherein the double-layered shell body includes an outer tube, an inner tube, and an inner layer. The outer tube also has outer threads and the inner tube has inner threads, a recessed slot, an upper protruding portion and a lower protruding portion. The nozzle cap has an air hole, a nozzle and a threaded structure corresponding to the outer threads of the outer tube of the double-layered shell body. The electronic wick has a wick, a heating wire, leads and a filtering rod with a center through hole; while a contact piece has a wing-shaped elastic piece, an insulating spacer and a rivet, wherein the insulating spacer is used to separate the wing-shaped elastic piece and the rivet.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an electronic cigarette atomizer, and more particularly to a dual-tube electronic cigarette atomizer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Today when “smoking is harmful to your health” has become a common sense, there are one billion people smoking cigarettes, and this figure is still rising. On Mar. 1, 2003, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued the first international smoking ban—Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. According to WHO's data, smoking causes 4,900,000 deaths each year. Smoking causes serious respiratory system diseases and cancers, though it is a hard job to persuade the smokers to completely quit smoking.

Therefore, electronic cigarettes have become increasingly popular in recent years. Electronic cigarettes emulate tobacco cigarettes, but without the combustion of tobacco during use. Rather than burning tobacco, a fluid is atomized within the electronic cigarette, which emulates the smoke produced in a tobacco cigarette. The fluid may contain flavoring agents such as tobacco flavor, menthol, and others, to enhance the “smoking” experience of the electronic cigarette. Nicotine has been added to the atomization fluid in prior art electronic cigarettes. Since electronic cigarettes are not real cigarettes, they can be enjoyed in designated non-smoking areas, which are becoming increasingly common.

Conventionally, the structure of a conventional atomizer of an electronic cigarette is complicated, in which the tube and other components are all separated at the beginning, and they have to be assembled before being used. Furthermore, it has to equip with a threaded metal tube with large size and weight to weld with a heating wire, which increases the complexity of the assembly process. Therefore, there remains a need for a new and improved electronic cigarette atomizer to overcome the problem stated above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide an atomizer of an electronic cigarette that is small, light and easy to be assembled with the electronic cigarette.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an atomizer of an electronic cigarette wherein users do not have to solder electrodes of the atomizer to the electronic cigarette.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an atomizer of an electronic cigarette wherein inner threads of a double-layered shell body (of the atomizer) are corresponding to threads of an electronic cigarette battery to connect with each other without using a bulky and heavy metal tube.

In one embodiment, the atomizer in the present invention has a double-layered shell body, a nozzle cap, an electronic wick, and a contact piece, wherein the double-layered shell body is formed as one piece which includes an outer tube, an inner tube, and an inner layer. The outer tube also has outer threads while the inner tube has inner threads. The inner tube also has a recessed slot, an upper protruding portion and a lower protruding portion.

The electronic wick having a wick made by glass fiber, a heating wire, leads, and a filtering rod with a center through hole. The filter rod with a center through hole is used to secure the lead, prevent cooled liquid from moving down, and add more flavored carriers.

The contact piece has a wing-shaped elastic piece, an insulating spacer and a rivet, wherein the insulating spacer is used to separate the wing-shaped elastic piece and the rivet.

The nozzle cap has an air hole, a nozzle and a threaded structure, which is corresponding to the outer threads of the double-layered shell body. A sealing gasket is disposed in the nozzle cap and used to seal the upper portion of the inner tube of the double-layered shell body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic view of an electronic cigarette structure in the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic view of the double-layered shell body in the present invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic view of the electronic wick in the present invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates a schematic view of the contact piece in the present invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates a schematic view of the structure of the nozzle cap in the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the assembly of the double-layered shell body, the electronic wick and the contact piece in the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of the connection of the contact piece and the battery of the electronic cigarette in the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The detailed description set forth below is intended as a description of the presently exemplary device provided in accordance with aspects of the present invention and is not intended to represent the only forms in which the present invention may be prepared or utilized. It is to be understood, rather, that the same or equivalent functions and components may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood to one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although any methods, devices and materials similar or equivalent to those described can be used in the practice or testing of the invention, the exemplary methods, devices and materials are now described.

All publications mentioned are incorporated by reference for the purpose of describing and disclosing, for example, the designs and methodologies that are described in the publications that might be used in connection with the presently described invention. The publications listed or discussed above, below and throughout the text are provided solely for their disclosure prior to the filing date of the present application. Nothing herein is to be construed as an admission that the inventors are not entitled to antedate such disclosure by virtue of prior invention.

In order to further understand the goal, characteristics and effect of the present invention, a number of embodiments along with the drawings are illustrated as following:

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an atomizer in the present invention may have a double-layered shell body (11), a nozzle cap (12), an electronic wick (13) and a contact piece (14). The double-layered shell body (11) is designed as one piece with one molding, and has an outer tube (21), an inner tube (22), and an inner layer (23). The inner layer (23) is used for filling electronic tobacco oil. The outer tube (21) has outer threads (24) while the inner tube (22) has inner threads (25). The inner tube (22) also has a recessed slot (26), an upper protruding portion (27) and a lower protruding portion (28).

Referring to FIG. 3, the electronic wick (13) has a wick (31) made by glass fiber, a heating wire (32), leads (33) and a filtering rod (34) with a center through hole. The filter rod (34) with a center through hole is used to secure the lead (33), prevent cooled liquid from moving down, and add more flavored carriers.

Referring to FIG. 4, the contact piece (14) has a wing-shaped elastic piece (41), an insulating spacer (42) and a rivet (43), wherein the insulating spacer (42) is used to separate the wing-shaped elastic piece (41) and the rivet (43).

Referring to FIG. 5, the nozzle cap (12) has an air hole (51), a nozzle (52) and a threaded structure (53), which is corresponding to the outer threads (24) of the double-layered shell body (11). A sealing gasket is disposed in the nozzle cap (12) and used to seal the upper portion of the inner tube (22) of the double-layered shell body (11).

As shown in FIG. 6, the structure of the atomizer in the present invention is simple. The electronic wick (13) is disposed in the inner tube (22) of the double-layered shell body (11), so the glass fiber wick (31) would be fit into the recessed slot (26) of the inner tube (22) of the double-layered shell body (11). Also, the filtering rod (34) with a center through hole attaches with the inner wall of the inner tube (22), so the leads (33) of the heating wire (32) passes through the upper protruding portion (27) and the lower protruding portion (28) and protrudes from the bottom of the double-layered shell body (11). Furthermore, the two leads (33) are pushed together with the contact piece (41) and assembled with the double-layered shell body (11). It is noted that the wing-shaped elastic piece (41) is suspended at the lower protruding portion (28) of the inner tube (22) to form an electrode with the rivet (43) working another electrode; and the entire assembly process of the atomizer does not need soldering.

As shown in FIG. 7, inner threads (25) of the double-layered shell body (11) are corresponding to threads of an electronic cigarette battery (71) to connect the double-layered shell body (11) and the electronic cigarette battery (71) without using a bulky and heavy metal tube. It is noted that there is no electrodes between the double-layered shell body (11) and the electronic cigarette battery (71). On the other hand, a circuit is formed when the wing-shaped elastic piece (41) of the contact piece (14) contacts the upper portion of the threads of the electronic cigarette battery (71). Meanwhile, the rivet (43) of the contact piece (14) connects with a rivet (73) of electronic cigarette battery (71). It is also noted that a logo (74) can be disposed at an outer wall of the inner tube (22) to enhance the aesthetic value of the electronic cigarette.

Having described the invention by the description and illustrations above, it should be understood that these are exemplary of the invention and are not to be considered as limiting. Accordingly, the invention is not to be considered as limited by the foregoing description, but includes any equivalents. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An atomizer of an electronic cigarette comprising: a double-layered shell body, having an outer tube, an inner tube, an inner layer; the outer tube having outer threads; and the inner tube having inner threads, a recessed slot, an upper protruding portion, and a lower protruding portion; a nozzle cap, having an air hole, a nozzle and a threaded structure corresponding to the outer threads of the outer tube of the double-layered shell body; an electronic wick, having a wick, a heating wire, leads and a filtering rod with a center through hole; and a contact piece having a wing-shaped elastic piece, an insulating spacer and a rivet, wherein the insulating spacer is used to separate the wing-shaped elastic piece and the rivet, wherein the electronic wick is disposed in the inner tube of the double-layered shell body, so the wick fits into the recessed slot of the inner tube of the double-layered shell body; and the filtering rod with a center through hole attaches with the inner wall of the inner tube, so the leads of the heating wire passes through the upper protruding portion and the lower protruding portion and protrudes from the bottom of the double-layered shell body.
 2. The atomizer of an electronic cigarette of claim 1, wherein the wing-shaped elastic piece is suspended at the lower protruding portion of the inner tube to form an electrode with the rivet working as another electrode without soldering.
 3. The atomizer of an electronic cigarette of claim 1, wherein a circuit is formed when the wing-shaped elastic piece of the contact piece contacts an upper portion of threads of an electronic cigarette battery.
 4. The atomizer of an electronic cigarette of claim 2, wherein a circuit is formed when the wing-shaped elastic piece of the contact piece contacts an upper portion of threads of an electronic cigarette battery.
 5. The atomizer of an electronic cigarette of claim 1, wherein the filter rod with a center through hole is used to secure the lead, prevent cooled liquid from moving down, and add more flavored carriers.
 6. The atomizer of an electronic cigarette of claim 4, wherein the filter rod with a center through hole is used to secure the lead, prevent cooled liquid from moving down, and add more flavored carriers.
 7. The atomizer of an electronic cigarette of claim 1, wherein the wick of the electronic wick is made by glass fiber.
 8. The atomizer of an electronic cigarette of claim 6, wherein the wick of the electronic wick is made by glass fiber. 